Golf ball including stance diagram



Jan. 7, 1969 c. D. GORANSON ET AL 3,420,529

GOLF BALL INCLUDING STANCE DIAGRAM Filed Sept. l, 1965 .ffice/mts /Cmes @Maso/:Z azz Maa United States Patent O 2 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A golf ball having markings which show the proper positions of a golfers feet for the various clubs used by golfers.

This invention generally relates to =a golfing aid and, more particularly, it relates to an article of manu-facture for assisting a golfer to improve his stance.

As with most games, the improvement of a golfers score is a continuing goal. To assist the player in this pursuit, a wide variety of golf aids are generally available, One such device is a chart or booklet displaying diagrammatic illustrations of preferred stances for each of the various golf clubs in common use. It is generally known that each club is particularly suited for driving -the golf ball over a specilied distance range. In this connection, the arrangement of the golfers feet with respect to the ball is particularly important; each club having a preferred stance associated therewith. The preferred stance is generally determined by the pitch of the club head and the length of the shaft.

The aforementioned charts or booklets, however, have inherent disadvantages For example, each is cumbersome and often unavailable at the moment When the stance is desired to be vertied. Also, after reference is made to the illustration of the position of the feet of the player, the chart must be placed in the players pocket or upon the ground so that the shaft may Ibe grasped. Thus, reference to the illustration is difficult prior to starting the backswing at that moment when it is often most desired.

A further disadvantage in the use of a chart or booklet is that the illustration must be mentally transferred from the chart to the ground upon which the ball is located. This mental operation greatly increases the possibility of error thereby minimizing the usefulness of such a device.

A main object of the present invention is to provide an improved golf aid. A more particular object is to provide an improved golf aid to facilitate the improvement of a players stance and to insure a proper stance for each of the different clubs and distances.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent through reference to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a top view looking over a players shoulder and showing the relation of his feet and club with respect to a golf ball embodying certain feature of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the golfball;

FIGS. 3 through 10 are diagrammatic illustrations which are provided upon portions of t-he sur-face of the golf ball illustrated in FIG. 1 in accordance with this invention;

FIG. ll is a reduced elevational view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 2.

Briefly, the illustrated embodiment of this invention comprises a `golf ball 13 which is moved during play by striking it with the head of a club 20. Upon the exterior surface which is positioned to the view of a player is provided a diagrammatical illustration 14 representing a preferred physical relation of a player to the ball during swinging of the club to strike the ball.

As illustrated in FIGURE l, a preferred embodiment of this invention includes a golf ball 13 of the variety commonly in use. For purposes of discussion, the surface of the golf ball will be considered to display eight substantially equally spaced triangular areas 14 so that by appropriately positioning the ball upon the ground the player may selectively direct one of the eight areas 14 towards his view.

Golf clubs are of two types referred to as woods and irons depending on the material used in lthe head. In each group, the clubs are differentiated from each other by bearing different numbers ranging consecutively from l. Each club is provided with a head having a specified pitch and a shaft of a designated length, both the pitch and the shaft length corresponding to the particular number of the clufb and differing yfrom the pitch and length of the other clubs. By the proper selection of a club, a player can generally obtain the desired distance and lift for the particular lay of his ball. For example, if the ball is to be played from' the `fairway and the green is approximately yards away, ya player may select a No. 5 iron. The positioning of the feet of t-he golfer with respect to the ball is generally determined by the club in use, each -club having a corresponding preferred stance. The stance may vary in the spacing of the players feet from each other and the ball and the position of the feet with respect to the desired direction of flight of the ball. Stated another way, the players feet and ball may be considered as the corners of a triangle, the legs and angles of which vary with different stances for different clubs.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a preferred stance of :a player with respect to the ball 13 when using a No. 2 iron. The ball is designated by a small circle or dot 17 and the players feet, -by silhouettes 19. The suggested distance between the heels of the player between the centers thereof may be indicated and, for exa-mple, for a No. 3 iron 'as shown in FIGURE 3, is approximately eleven inches.

The desired direction of iiight of the ball is indicated by a dotted line 23 extending through the rearmost part of the players left foot. The `distance of the ball forwardly of the direction of flight line 23 also may be indicated on each diagram. For the No. 2 iron, as shown in FIG. 3, this distance is approximately 18 inches. The legend, No. 2 below the direction-of-ight line indicates the particular club for which the illustration 14 is suited. Other information peculiar to the particular club also may be included in each of the different illustrations 14. For example, the normal distance of expected travel of the ball may be added, this being indicated by the legend, YDS., in FIG. 3. FIGURES 4 through l0 are similar to FIGURE 3 previously described and have different distances and foot placements corresponding to other clubs in common use.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 1l, each of the illustrations 14 shown in FIGURES 3 through 10 inclusive is .imprinted upon the ball in a different one of the eight triangular surface areas 14 previously mentioned. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the diagrams are consecutively positioned upon the ball so that a player may, by rotating the ball approximately ninety degrees (90), View the illustration 14 related to the club in the next numerical order.

In play, the golfer positions the ball so that the diagram 14 illustrating the stance corresponding to the club then in use is toward his view. The dot 17 representing the ball in the illustration 14 is positioned furthest from the players feet 21 as illustrated in FIGURE l. The player may then position his feet with respect to the ball 13 so as to resemble the illustration 14 upon the ball. It should be noted that, since the ball 13 forms one corner of the triangle formed by the players feet 21 and the ball 13 further corresponds to one comer of the triangle in the illustration, achieving the preferred stance is greatly facilitated. The golf aid illustrated further permits the player to verify his stance during the backswing and remainder of his stroke until the club head actually strikes the ball. Thus, a novel and useful golf aid has been provided.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been hereinafter shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spherical golf ball adapted to be struck by a golf club, a stance diagram on said ball viewable by a golfer as he addresses a ball and executes a club swing thereat, said stance diagram comprising information means in the form of indicia conventionally used to designate a particular one of the differently lofted clubs used by golfers, a first mark in the form of a straight line which may be aligned with the desired direction of flight of said ball, a second mark in the form of a small circle corresponding to the appearance of a golf ball to be driven in the direction of flight indicated by said line, a third mark and a fourth mark each having such contours as to clearly define the shape of a human footprint, said third and fourth marks being spaced from each other a first predetermined distance, said third mark being spaced from said small circle a second predetermined distance, said fourth mark being spaced from said small circle a third predetermined distance, each of said three predetermined distances and the orientation of said clear footprint marks relative to said small circle and said line being such that the positions of said clear footprints relative to said small circle and said line correspond substantially to the proper positions of a golfers feet in striking the ball simulated by said small circle in the direction of said line with the particular club designated by said information means, and a fifth mark in the form of a straight line perpendicular to said first straight line extending from adjacent said small circle to a position adjacent said footprints.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 having a second stance diagram spaced from said first-mentioned diagram, said second diagram including information means in the form of indicia conventionally used to designate a particular one of the differently lofted clubs used by golfers, and five marks having the same form and relative arrangement as said five marks of said first-mentioned diagram, the particular club designated by said information means of said second diagram being different than the particular club designated by said information means of said first-mentioned diagram, the three predetermined distances between the second diagram small circle and second diagram footprint marks, and the orientation of the second diagram footprint marks relative to the second diagram small circle and second diagram first line mark being such that the position of said second diagram footprints relative to the second diagram small circle and second diagram first line mark correspond substantially to the proper positions of a golfers feet in striking the ball simulated by the second diagram small circle in the direction of the second diagram first line mark Iwith the particular club designated by the second diagram information means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,484,390 2/1924 Gibbs et al. 273-187 3,370,851 2/1968 Murray 273--65 D. 79,458 9/ 1929 Rosiers D34-7 676,506 6/1901 Knight et al. 273-2l3 3,122,846 3/1964 Trent 273--187 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE I. MARLO, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

